Sharing My Love With You
by CoolCat0720
Summary: Kanika's heart pounded in her chest, her body shaking from the sudden pain caused by the explosion. I have to get to Mei, she thought forcing herself to her knees. But when she had the strength to lift her head and look around, her eyes met a horrifying sight. Her sister was on the ground unconcious, blood on her forehead. "Mei!" She shrieked. Please Read! Lots of romance, I swear!
1. Prologue

-Prologue-

"Kanika, watch yourself! You almost ran into those children!" A boy exclaimed, yanking his sister to the side just in time to barely dodge a group of children running down the street, laughing and giggling amougst themselves as they went.

The boy turned to his sister and scowled, earning a nervous laugh from the girl. She had long midnight black hair that went way past her waist with the sides pulled up behind her head. She wore a bright blue kimono with a grey belt wrapped tightly around her waist and a new pair of sandals that were given to her as a gift by the town seamstress. "Sorry Shiro," she explained, "I thought I smelled a hotpot; you know I easily get distracted by the smell of food." The boy known as Shiro sighed in annoyance, "I would get you one, but you spent all of the money from the priest already!" The girl, Kanika, smiled sheepishly before continuing to walk, humming to herself. Shiro knew his sister was an airhead but he never thought it was this bad.

It was hotter today than he predicted it would be; his thick shirt given to him by the priest was beginning to make him sweat under the harsh sunlight. He sighed and followed shortly after, but accidently bumped into someone. "Ack!" The force was so hard it knocked them both back, causing them to land on the ground with a thump. "Ow." Shiro mumbled, rubbing his bottom.

He went to stand when he was grabbed roughly by the collar. "Watch where you're going!" A man yelled angrily, shaking Shiro violently. Shiro tried to get him to stop but it was to no avail. The man kept yelling horribly at Shiro, refusing to let go. Kanika heard the yelling and turned around in time to see her brothers hat fall to the ground, revealing his shoulder length hair. "Shiro!" Kanika ran franticly, running back to her sibling. The man heard Kanika's yell and went to turn around when he looked down at Shiro's chest, realizing a shocking piece of truth.

Kanika jumped onto the man's back and dug her nails into his face. He howled in pain and released Shiro, only to try and grab Kanika. However every time he even managed to get a hold on the girl, she dug her nails deeper, causing pain that made him cry even more. He flung around, trying to get the girl off but to no avail. As Shiro grabbed his hat and went to fix his shirt, he looked around and realized they were drawing a crowd. A crowd that spelled trouble. "Kanika, we need to go!" Shiro said loud enough to get her attention. However, when Kanika went to look at Shiro, the man grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled hard enough to fling her over his shoulder. She cried out in pain and collided painfully with the ground, the air instantly knocked from her lungs. She rolled onto her side, clutching her ribcage, not paying attention to the seething man standing over her. "You foolish girl!" he yelled, raising his foot above her head. From the height he was going, Shiro could sense he meant to crush her skull. He instantly made a move and went to run to his sister, but he knew he wouldn't make it. "Kanika!" Shiro screamed.

Right as his foot went down, someone ran up behind the man and shoved him so hard he went flying head first over Kanika, landing harshly in the hard dirt. Shiro came to a screeching stop as he stared at the man before him. A man with navy blue hair that barely went past his ears and was kept out his face by the metal headband wrapped to his forehead. he was clad in dark blue that was loose yet clung more to his body more than a normal person's attire. A sword was strapped to his back, weapons hung on his waist along with a pair of hand sized pouches. "Ninja..."Shiro whispered without thinking. The man looked over at Shiro, as if hearing his words, and smiled softly. Shiro covered his mouth and took a hesitant step back; he was so frightened he didnt even bother to put his hat back on to hide his hair.

"You needn't fear me." He spoke to Shiro. The man kneeled down before Kanika and helped her to her feet, dusting her back off. Kanika tensed awkwardly as she felt his hands brush against her back. her instincts screamed 'Enemy!', but his gentle gestures spoke otherwise. "Ah thank you." She spoke suddenly, turning and bowing slightly to the man before running over to Shiro. Kanika instantly covered Shiro's chest in attempt to hide their secret, but the man simply shook his head, "There's no need for that." Both siblings froze and slowly looked at the mysterious man, who wore a blank expression. When they made no intention to move, the man walked towards them and leaned close, "Girl, I know this one you call brother is no boy."

Shiro blushed furiously and held his top closed; in response, Kanika wrapped her arms protectively around Shiro, who was a good three inches shorter than her. "What about sir? Do you intend to run around the whole town shouting it aloud for everyone to hear?" Why Shiro was dressing as boy was their business and if this man threatened to ruin their privacy, it would lead to an endless list of problems for them and the temple. But the man simply shook his head, "I have no intention to cause you both any trouble, I simply ask that you accompany to the temple; your current home correct?" Before answering, Kanika looked around and saw everyone kept walking like nothing was wrong; as if the whole incident never happpened. No one was even looking in their direction .

Kanika looked back to the man and nodded, "Before we show you the way, your name would be nice to know." Despite her simply request, the girl had a serious tone with a dangerous edge. He nodded and got down on my knee, "Excuse my rudeness, my name is Hanzo." Kanika's protective grip tightened around Shiro unconciously before she replied, "I will take you to the temple, please follow us." With her arms still around Shiro, they both began to walk in the direction of their home. Hanzo stared after them for a moment before following. The girls tone was very cold and unfriendly, but the way she held unto her younger sibling stated she was very protective and didn't want either of them to get hurt. He could understand that and praised her for her unknown determination to protect what was precious to her. She truly was a Ninja Princess, but he was worried about his new predicament. There wasn't only one heir before him, there were two. What was he going to do with two heirs?

**Hey you guys! Thank you for reading this story I'm writing! First let me clear up somethings:**

** is not a boy, but a girl dressing up as a boy. (I will explain in the next chapter or so)**

**2. Hanzo already knows that Shiro is a girl, but doesn't know why.**

**Thank you again for reading this and I hope it become's one of your favorites! Please Read and Review!**


	2. Ninja Princesses!

Chapter 1: We are what?!

Kanika slowed her pace as she and her sister entered the temple, her eyes going wide. All of the priests were bowing to them as they walked by, none of them making eye contact. Why are they bowing to us, Kanika thought, tightening her grip on her younger sister's hand. Slowly but surely, a small feeling was sinking itself to the bottom of her stomach, her gut telling her something was extremely wrong. What happened though, she pondered as they walked further into the temple.

Mei however was busy looking at each of the priests, looking for someone in particular. Where is he, she thought as her eyes continued searching. Moments later, her eyes landed on one of the priests; the only one with hair. His short brown hair was held back with a small string out of his face, but his eyes remained closed and he didn't look up as she passed by. Kohan, she thought sadly as she continued walking with Kanika. She wanted to run to him and asked what was wrong, but she knew that doing that right now wouldn't be wise.

Kanika stopped and turned to ask Hanzo a question but she found the man on his knees as well, bowing to the two girls. "H-Hey," she stuttered, "Stand up you; there's no reason for you to bow." Kanika turned to the other priests, yelling, "Same goes for the rest of you; stand up, please!" Even though she knew her cry was heard, no one moved an inch.

Hanzo stood, giving the girls a reassuring smile, "Please don't concern yourselves with them; they are doing this of their own free will." Mei made a noise of surprise and looked at all the priests, wondering the reason for this action. Kanika shook her head, "These people are our family, we are all equal here; there is no reason to bow to any human." She sounds like her father, Hanzo thought, a small smile forming on his lips. "I know this may seem all strange to you; you want answers. The answers you seek await inside." Hanzo answered, gesturing to the temple.

Even though it went against Kanika's better judgement, Mei squeezed her hand softly, nodding. Kanika looked at her sister for a moment before sighing. "Very well." She said, walking to the temple, clutching Mei's hand tightly.

...

As the girls entered, they were unaware of the two men hidden in the tree's, watching them silently. "So that's them huh?" A red-head man asked his companion. He watched them carefully as they walked, memorizing every detail he could. The oldest one was a couple of inches taller than the other one, who he assumed the other was the younger one. With her shoulders set, her eyes straight ahead, the older one held a a fearless look in her eyes. However, from how tightly she was clutching her younger sister's hand, she was just as nervous as the other.

The younger one, however, made no effort in hiding how much she was nervous. She was frightened for herself and her sister. He noticed her staring at the monks to her right, probably the one in the back with hair. They probably like eachother, he thought to himself, making a mental note for future reference.

What confused him though was why the younger one was wearing men's clothing? From the message Hanzo had sent, they were both female, and that they would be arriving shortly. So why was one dressed like a man?

His companion, an orange-haired man, swung upside down off a branch from the tree he was sitting on and landed on the branch below him. "I think they are cute; especially the one with long hair!" He exclaimed. The red-head huffed, "I'll admit she's cute, but I like the other one with short hair."

"I thought you liked girl's with long hair?"

The red-head shook his head, "My most recent experiences prove that long hair in bed just gets in the way."

The orange-haired one made a noise of disgust, "We are here to protect them, not seduce them into our beds." The red-head smirked, "Who said we can't do both?"

...

"Please have a seat." Hanzo offered. Even though it went against their better judgement, the girls sat on the stiff cushions before them, still holding eachothers hands.

"If you excuse me, I will return momentarily with my father." Said Hanzo, who bowed and moved to leave. "Um please forgive my rudeness, but who exactly are you?" Kanika asked. Even though he had answered about his name, that didn't explain who this man was, and that concerned Kanika greatly. Though he seemed honest enough, looks could always be deceiving. Hanzo stopped at the door and nodded, "Excuse me, my name is as I told you; I am a ninja, a ninja of Iga, and my father is the village elder. He wishes to speak to you." As Kanika was still in the process of understanding everything he just said, Mei was the first one with an actual expression. The elder of Iga wanted to speak with them?!

Hanzo smiled softly, seeing how surprised both girls were, "As I have said before, you need not fear me, for I mean you no harm; the same is for my father as well." Hanzo bowed once more befroe leaving the room, closing the paper door behind him. Mei instantly turned to Kanika, speaking in a low voice, "Sister, what are they doing here? We don't know these people." Kanika shook her head in response, "Your guess is as good as mine. Believe I'm confused as well, but...I think we should wait and hear what they have to say; I have a feeling its extremely important."

Though she couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth, she was being completely honest. She had a feeling, an overwhelming feeling, that she needed to hear what they had to say; she and Mei both. Mei nodded and sat patiently with Kanika. Though she was curious to hear what they had to say as well, she would feel more comfortable if she wasn't afraid of them. Ninja were suppose to be absolutely horrible; liars and traitors beyond compare. She knew Kanika felt the same way, but she obvious saw something Mei did not, and she trusted Kanika more than anyone.

Moments later, footsteps could be heard coming down the hall, then suddenly the door was open, revealing a familiar face. "Grandpa priest!" The girls exclaimed, rushing over to him. He held his arms open wide as the girls crushed themselves against him. He smiled as he wrapped his arms around them, "My dears, you look as frightened as kittens."

Mei looked up to his face and replied, "Grandpa who are these people that are visiting? Why are ninja here? I want them to leave!" Though she knew it was a request that was childish, but she was only being honest. She was frightened out of her mind.

The priest suddenly grew quiet and sighed sadly. Kanika also looked at the priest and saw his expression was one of discomfort and saddness. He knew something they did not, she could tell. If he truly didn't know anything, he would have said something by now, but his expression was not one that made Kanika feel secure. Slowly, she backed away from him, staring. Mei looked back at Kanika with a confused expression, "Sister?"

"You won't say anything Grandpa," She stated, hardening her gaze, "Why not?"

Her grandfather looked at her with eyes filled with saddness. "My dears, " he began, "These ninja are our guests...I know them." Mei released her grandfather instantly and backed up next to Kanika. "What do you mean Grandpa?" Mei asked. When he didn't answer right away, Kanika grew warey. She placed an arm out slightly in front of Mei protectively and asked, "Explain this to us Grandpa, you owe us that much."

The mention of oweing deeply hurt the priest, and Kanika could tell, but she was right.

He sighed and sat on one of the unoccupied cushions and gestured for them to sit as well. Mei looked at their grandfather carefully, trying to see is there was any hint of deception or any sign that he would harm them, but he held the same look as always; a look of love for the two girls before him. Kanika hesitated, but Mei gently squeezed her hand in a reassuring way and pulled her down to their previous cushions. Just as they sat, two men opened the screen and entered. The first one was the ninja, Hanzo, and the other was one who looked like an older, more serious version of Hanzo. Both girls could instantly see the father-son resemblance.

Both men sat before them while their grandfather sat to the side. Mei looked at Hanzo momentarily before moving her gaze to the man next to him; the one who she was assuming was his father. When he made eye contact with her, his serious expression made her instantly move behind Kanika's shoulder. Even though she knew the gesture was childish, she couldn't help herself; the man frightened her. Being in a room with two ninja was nerve racking enough. Noticing this, the man's expression softened into a gentle smile, "Its a pleasure to meet you officially; both of you." His voice was husky and firm, a voice made for authority.

Well, he doesn't seem all that bad, she convinced herself. Feeling less frightened, Mei straightened up and replied with a small smile, "It's also a pleasure to meet you, umm..." She pondered on what to call the man. "Please, most people just refer to me as Elder." He informed her. Mei nodded, "It's a pleasure to meet you Elder. My name is Mei Takashima." The Elder nodded, "I hear that these days you go by the name of Shiro." Mei blushed lightly and looked down, nodding slightly.

He cleared his throat, "Just to clarify, you are female, correct?" Mei turned completely red and nodded. Kanika laughed sheepishly, "Forgive me Elder, that was my doing." Before she could explain further, the Elder held up his hand to stop her. "No need to explain, " he said, "As long as both of you are here safe and sound, thats all that matters."

Kanika nodded. So they were here to meet with them? Not their grandfather? Why was that? The first thing that popped into Kanika's head was they had a debt they needed to repay but Kanika knew she didn't owe anyone and Mei never mentioned anything on the topic. What were they here for then?

Hanzo straightened himself and addressed them, "Lady Mei and Lady..." Mei elbowed Kanika lightly in the side and she jumped slightly, "Oh! Please excuse my rudeness, I am Kanika Takashima." Hanzo nodded and continued, "Lady Mei and Lady Kanika. My full name is Hanzo Hattori. My father and I are of the Iga clan. With how things stand in the war, our enemy is a man known as Nobunaga Oda."

Mei nodded, "Nobunaga Oda is the warlord who is currently seeking to rule over the country correct?" Hanzo nodded in approval, clearly impressed. The girls were more knowledgable than he would have thought. This was good. "As we speak, he seeks to wipe out all who oppose him, and the ninja are at the top of this list. He intends to murder all with ninja blood and knowing his reputation on the battlefield, we fear that means women and children."

Kanika gripped the skirt of her kimono, biting her lip and doing her best to hide her expression of shock. Mei put a hand over her mouth to hold in her sound of terror. She did her best not to imagine what the battefields were like now, covered with lifeless bodies.

Hanzo smiled weakly, "Do not think us weak Lady Mei," he said, "The fact that he wants us dead proves that he fears our power."

"Elder, you still haven't answered the main question. Why are you here?" Even though she knew she wasn't trying to be rude, Mei wished her sister would change her tone before someone got offended. Their grandfather cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "My dears," He began, "You were told that when you were little, your parents died in an accident shortly after Mei was born. " Kanika nodded and replied, "You have taken care of us ever since I can remember."

Before he continued, his expression saddened greatly, "Unfortunately, that was not the truth."

Both girls froze, completely speechless as their eyes widened in shock. The Elder spoke, "I knew your parents before you were born. They were...fellow ninja of ours."

Mei felt as if she lost the ability to breathe, "W-What?"

"Well more like...we served under your parents. Our clan served theirs." The Elder stated.

Mei sputtered, "Our parents were ninja?! Is that what you're saying?"

The Elder nodded, keeping his expression blank.

"I hope you realize that soundes ridiculous!" she shouted, nearly coming ot her feet. Kanika put her hand out to calm her sister, which she consented to by returning to a sitting position.

"I know this may sound hard to believe, but its the truth. I give you my word that I am being completely honest with every word I say." The Elder swore, bowing his head. Mei lowered her head, looking down at her hands in her lap. It isn't true, she thought sadly to herself. It couldn't be true, it just couldn't. They had no proof to show them, nothing that would help them prove their statement in any way. But a small part of Mei told her they were speaking the truth.

Mei glanced over at Kanika and found her to be in a worse state than she was. Her eyes, full of emotions, were wide and shaking as they remained staring at the floor. Her mouth was in a firm line and her shoulders slumped forward. She was clasping her own hands so tightly Mei thought her nails might pierce through skin. Poor Kanika, she thought, slipping her own hand between Kanika's. Her expression softened as she grippped Mei's hand.

Mei could tell Kanika wanted to cry due to the news, but the one thing she was much better at than Mei was holding her tears back well enough to wait till this meeting was over. Kanika raised her head and questioned, "If our parents weren't killed in an accident, what happened to them?" The Elder's expression turned grave as he looked away, his eyes shut tight. Hanzo put a hand on his father's shoulder before turning to the girls. "Though its still unclear to this day on how," He spoke, "Your parents were killed...by Nobunaga's father."

Kanika gasped, gripping Mei's hand tightly. Mei, unable to hold it any longer, burried her face into Kanika's shoulder, trying to hold in her cries of sorrow for the parents she never had a chance to meet. Kanika swallowed her sorrow as best she could and wrapped her arms around her sister's shoulders, as if she were trying to shield her from the cruel reality. Kanika knew she could handle stuff like this, but Mei was the softer half of the two, so the mention of anyone dying instantly filled her with sorrow.

Hanzo bowed his head, "I understand that this may be hard for you to accept, but I can assure you that you can rest at ease."

Kanika latched her eyes with Hanzo, anger building up within her by the second. This man was reaching the top of her death list. Was he serious? He clearly had problems with understanding the feelings of others. Her anger was off the charts, and she made sure it was showing in her eyes, "How can you tell us that?! How can you sit there and tell us to 'be at ease' when we just found out we have been lied to our whole lives about our parents?!" She didn't even bother watching her tone, she didn't care if someone else was listening, all she wanted at the moment was for this man to understand was the anger and sorrow she and her sister were feeling. This man had a father, who was sitting right next to him, who was alive, so he could never understand how they felt.

They had no parents.

Hanzo felt her words strike at him, leaving him feeling deeply ashamed and regretful for his spoken words.

Mei, who had gotten ahold on her emotions, moved her head slightly to the side and opened an eye, watching Hanzo momentarily. She could see that by the look in his eyes he truly didn't understand what they were feeling, but he was trying a great deal to. He took a deep breath, "I tell you to be at ease because I can assure you that you won't suffer the same fate."

Mei looked up from Kanika's shoulder and asked, "What do you mean Hanzo?"

The Elder, who had been silent, placed a hand on his son's shoulder. He then looked at the two girls, replying, "Lady Mei, Lady Kanika, it is true that your parents were ninja, but that's not the important part. We served your parents because of something else. Your parents carried the main bloodline of the orgin of ninja. Because of their bloodline, they carried special abilities and excelled in the ninja art of Ninjutsu. Becuase of this we served your parents."

Kanika raised an eyebrow in confusion, "What does that mean?" Hanzo replied, "It was that bloodline that made them the leaders of ninja."

Before Kanika could say anything, the Elder added, "And since you are their children, that makes you both the rightful heirs to the legacy of ninja they left behind." With that, Hanzo and the Elder leaned forward, bowing to the girls. "Princess Kanika, Princess Mei, we are yours to command."

Kanika and Mei looked at each other, unsure how to voice their feelings on the matter. They were princesses?!

**Well here's the next chapter! I thought this chpater would be longer from how much time I spent writing on this, so it's not as long at I had hoped, but its not that small either so I'm happy for that. I know they mostly just talked in this chapter but I wanted to knock the whole princess thing out so I could get to the good stuff. **

**You will meet the guys in the next chapter, I am personally excited for the next chapter because when I wrote in on paper, it jus sounded so good and I can't wait to get started on it for you guys! Please tell me what you thought of this chapter! Reviews give me motivation to keep going! Please R&R!**


	3. Mei and Kohan

_ Kanika raised an eyebrow in confusion, "What does that mean?" Hanzo replied, "It was that bloodline that made them the leaders of ninja."_

_ Before Kanika could say anything, the Elder added, "And since you are their children, that makes you both the rightful heirs to the legacy of ninja they left behind." With that, Hanzo and the Elder leaned forward, bowing to the girls. "Princess Kanika, Princess Mei, we are yours to command."_

...

On the other side of the sliding door stood a man, listening intently to the conversation. _So there's two of them_, he thought. This was going to be more interesting than he imagined. He quietly walked back down the hall, his thoughts racing in his head.

The hall he was walking down was adorned with color; ceiling beams were a beautiful maroon red, the doors covered with light green illustrations of people in the fields, happy expressions on their faces. Lanterns were hung from the ceiling, giving off an orange light from the paper barrier that surrounded it.

He made his way back to the small waiting room Hanzo had posted him and three other ninja in for the moment. They had all been chosen to protect the heirs of the ninja legacy. He opened the door and three sets of eyes instantly turned to him, but he paid them no mind. He closed the door behind him and sat at the small table in the center of the room, crossing his legs as he sat. "So," The red haired ninja asked, "What did you hear?"

Silence.

The red haired ninja repeated, "Saizo, what did you hear?"

The ninja known as Saizo, replied, "I didn't hear all of it, but there is indeed two heirs. From what I saw earlier when I shadowed Hanzo, it was a boy and a girl." The red haired ninja leaned forward, resting his chin in his palm. "Interesting," He mumbled to himself. Saizo leaned forward as well, "Goemon, do you know something? Something we don't?" The one known as Goemon looked around quietly and found everyone was staring at him, listening intently. The white haired ninja sat in the corner of the room, arms crossed at his chest. The orange haired ninja he was with earlier lay on his back, arms behind his head. And Saizo sat before him, arms crossed at his chest as well. He smirked, "What if I did Saizo? What would you do?"

In a flash of movement, a chain was wrapped around Goemon's wrist, yanking it forward. His chin slid from his palm and he glared at Saizo, who simply smiled. "Just because I can't kill you, " Said Saizo, "Doesn't mean I can't make you bleed."

...

_ Hanzo and the Elder remained bowing before the two girls, their heads refusing to rise. Kanika stared down at them, her expression one of horror and shock. They were princesses?! What was that suppose to mean? What was going to happen? Why did they need Kanika and her sister Mei? They were ninja's, they were very capable of taking care of themselves; there was no reason for them to be used._

_ Mei on the other hand was fascinated with the idea. Actually getting to work with ninja's seeing the world outside this village; it all sounded amazing! She didn't know exactly why, but the idea was just too amazing to pass up. She was about to accept the position when Kanika spoke, "Hanzo, Elder, if I may, I would like a little while to absorb all of this. It's...a lot to take in at once."_

_ Mei was looked at Kanika as if she were insane, but she quickly erased the thought when she noticed Kanika's expression._

_ Kanika was about to cry. She could tell._

_ Mei nodded in agreement and Hanzo replied, "Of course, but due to shortage of time, we would like an answer by this evening."_

_ "It's imperative that we escort the both of you to Iga; however we believe it would be better if you travelled separately for the time being." The Elder explained, rising to his feet._

_ Kanika's eyes widened. Such a short amount of time?_

_ Mei nodded as she stood suddenly, pulling her sister up with her as quickly as she possibly could, "Thank you Hanzo, we will have our answer by tonight." Hanzo nodded and before Kanika could object, Mei pulled her out of the room and out of sight._

...

Kanika and Mei had moved to the garden at the back of the temple facing the wall, dangling their feet over the edge of the wood hallway, barely touching the ground beneath her toes. Kanika was still trying to process all of the information she and her sister were just given: her parents hiding what they really were, the truth of their death, and the fact that they were now they leaders of the ninja legacy. It was just too much to understand at once. She looked at Mei and found her sister to be on the verge of tears. "Mei?" She said concerned. She went to wrap an arm around her sister's shoulders when Mei suddenly threw herself into Kanika's arms, tears overflowing.

"Mei?!" She exclaimed. Though her sister made no sound, her shoulders were shaking terribly. Kanika sat awkwardly for a moment, unsure of what to do. She knew she sister needed comfort, but at the same time if she tried to comfort Mei, she knew Mei would probably reject it. Mei wasn't one for comfort unless she came specifically for comfort. She usually went to Kohan, a priest at the temple, when she needed comfort.

"Why did this happen Kanika?" She whispered. Kanika rested a hand on her sister's back and sighed, "I don't know the answer to your question Mei, because I'm asking myself the same thing."

After a few minutes of tears, Mei straightened up and wiped her eyes till they were dry with the edge of her sleeve. She rested her hands in her lap and asked, "What do we do sister?" Kanika looked away, down at the ground, then up to the sky. The clouds were few and far between, giving a full view of the blueness above their heads. She didn't know what to tell her sister; for the first time in their lives, Kanika didn't have an answer or even a hint of advice. The Elder explained how they would have to travel separately to Iga. Kanika didn't want that. She wanted to protest, but Mei had already answered for them. _Even though we are princesses, we have no say in the matter_, she thought coldly.

"For your own sake," Kanika began, her gaze lost in the sky, "I think it best you keep pretending to be a boy." Mei began to protest, but Kanika cut her off, "I need you to trust me sister when I say its for your safety. We don't know these people well enough to trust them yet. And if we are the heirs as they say, they won't be interested in a boy who can't birth heirs." Mei remained silent for some time, her expression sad. Even though her sister's words held truth, that didn't mean it was any easier to accept them.

Kanika squeezed her hand and continued, "If you understand where I'm coming from sister, then you should see that its safer for you to be a boy and say as little as possible on the journey to Iga."

Though Mei nodded in agreement, Kanika knew that she hated being told what to do. It was one of the many things they had in common. Kanika reached over and gripped Mei's other hand so she was holding both, her sadness beginning to overtake her. "Mei," She whispered, her voice cracking. Mei noticed her sister's expression and realized she was on the verge of crying. "I hope you realize I'm just as frightened by all of this as you are."

Wordlessly, Mei nodded and embraced her sister tightly, allowing Kanika to shed the tears which had been captive for far too long. The sound of her cry was muffled by the many layer's of kimono fabrics Mei wore, but little did they know the cries were heard and a man appeared on a rooftop nearby, watching them soundlessly.

A sudden breeze picked up, blowing Mei's hair out of the string which bound it. But the breeze left as soon as it had come. _Strange weather_, Mei thought to herself as she used her free hand to tuck some of her hair behind her ear when she saw something on Kanika's lap.

"Look sister." Mei shook Kanika lightly. Kanika did her best to withhold the tears as she raised her head slightly and saw the object of her sister's admiration. A large sized white sakura flower had fallen in her lap. It looked so pure it seemed to shimmer in the sunlight.

Kanika gently removed herself from Mei's grasp and gently picked the flower up, cupping it in her hands. It was gorgeous, the most large and pure sakura flower she had ever had the pleasure of seeing. Kanika stood and began walking in the garden, trying to find where exactly it fell from, but as she looked around she found no tree that nested the same flower. The childish side of her wanted her to believe it was a gift from the wind, but at the same time she knew she was hoping for something unrealistic. Mei walked up to her sister quietly and very softly ran her index finger across the tops of the petals. The feeling was something that could be similar to velvet. "Where do you think it came from?" Mei asked. Kanika shook her head, "I haven't the slightest idea." Mei wanted to ask another question when she noticed the expression on her sister's face; she was smiling, her cheeks a shade of light pink.

Mei smiled at Kanika and spoke, "Sister, I think that flower is a sign. I think it came to say everything is going to be okay."

...

The ninja stood on the roof right above the two sisters, watching the eldest one hold the flower he had dropped for her. The wind came to his command and guided the flower to its new owner. When he saw the flower had made the girl smile, he felt a sense of accomplishment; making a girl smile was not something he usually did, but he was satisfied with the given results.

He turned to leave but the orange haired ninja sat in front of him. He smiled, "She's a cutie ain't she?" The white haired ninja simply nodded before asking, "What do you want Sasuke?" The one known as Sasuke jumped onto his feet and replied, "The Elder to(Wants?) us to gather; its time to officially meet the heirs." The white haired ninja walked away towards the other side of the roof away from the two girls and dropped down to the ground with ease.

The orange hair ninja followed him and went inside the house. The two walked side by side in the hall as they made their way to the gathering hall. Kotaro thought about the two heirs he just saw, a feeling of confusion came over him. Saizo said the heirs would be a young brother and an older sister, but the two he saw outside in the garden moments ago looked like two sisters. Was Saizo lying, or did he make an honest mistake? There was also the possibility that the heirs themselves were lying. But why would they do such a thing? They had made it very clear they meant no harm to them. So who was lying?

Sasuke opened the doors to the gathering hall and stepped inside. Near the temple's altar, Goemon sat at the foot of a large statue, playing with a kunai. He looked up as the two entered and smirked, "Welcome back Sasuke," He leaned to the said to see the other ninja follow him, "And I see you got Kotaro as well." The white haired ninja known as Kotaro looked around momentarily, "Where has the elder gone?" Goemon whirled the knife expertly between his fingers and replied, "He had to return to the village on urgent business." Kotaro nodded and sat on the ground a few feet from Goemon, crossing his arms at his chest. Sasuke jumped in the air and landed on the head of the statue, lazily making himself comfortable. Goemon watched the two momentarily and asked, "So where did you two run off to?"

...

Mei shifted her clothing around once more before opening her door, meeting Kanika in the hall. Kanika looked up from the ground and met her sister's gaze, smiling awkwardly. Mei was in boy's attire that was offered by Hanzo since her last outfit had been ruined. It seemed to cling to her figure a little more than necessary, but Mei didn't really have a girlish figure if she was wearing boy's clothing; it was an advantage the two girls had used so Mei could walk around freely outside the temple.

As a small girl, Mei naturally had black hair with white tips; no matter how many times she dyed it black, the next morning when she would awaken her hair had returned to white. Even when she cut it the tips would always turn white. It was a mystery to the priests and to the girls; however they learned to live with it. But because her hair color was so natural, slave traders who constantly passed through the town would often find her hair very unique, and they would try to steal her from the temple. However, they never got far.

As they walked down the hall to move towards the gathering hall, Mei instantly thought of Kohan, the only priest in the temple she considered herself close to besides the Chief Priest. Kohan wasn't born into the temple like most of the priests and monks here were. Kohan was invited to stay here.

The first time Mei had ever met Kohan, he had saved her life.

Flashback...

_ "I said let me go!" Mei screamed, kicking her feet as hard as she could. The men struggled to hold her as they tried to pull her away in a cart._

_ Kanika and Mei had been in the market when a handful of men cornered them. The two could instantly tell they were slave traders based on their appearance and the way they were eyeing the girls. They had tried to run,but they didn't get far. They managed to make it to the grassfields near the edge of town before one of the men tackled Mei to the ground. Kanika had tried to help her sister by taking a stick and whacking the man that held her. But before long the other men caught up and held down Kanika. Mei and Kanika both fought as they were dragged to the center of town where the carts were._

_ People who saw the situation either cowered in fear or ignored it completely. Mei had screamed for someone to help, but everyone simply turned their back on the girls and walked away. The whole town had been living in a peaceful bliss and anything that threatened to disturb the peace was either helped or ignored._

_ A man stepped out of the cart with a whip in his hand, look of annoyance in his eyes. Mei was pushed forward and the man with the whip caught her. She trembled and shook violently as he looked her over. His eyes rested on her hair momentarily before smiling, "Interesting hair, she will attract a lot of customers." The meaning of his words sent a churning feeling in her stomach. They were going to sell her._

_ Kanika broke free and rushed towards Mei, kicking the man in his shin before running with her sister next to her. The man howled in anger and clutched his leg, yelling orders at the other men. Kanika heard the sounds of hooves behind them and instantly pushed Mei to the ground just in time to miss the hand of one of the men riding on a horse, trying to grab her. Before Kanika could stand properly, she heard a sudden CRACK and a sharp pain on the back of her left leg, causing her to fall down next to her sister._

_ "Kanika!" Mei cried as she grabbed her sister, trying to help her to her feet. Kanika put the lightest weight on her legs and cried out, falling to her knees. Mei held onto her sister and noticed two gashes on the back of her leg, bleeding heavily. She can't move, Mei thought horrified._

_ Suddenly, Kanika was yanked from her sister and forced to a stand, a fist connecting to her stomach immediately. The force was so strong it forced everything in Kanika's stomach to come out of her mouth, a putrid smell filling her nose. "No, stop it!" Mei cried as she was lifted off her feet and was carried towards the cart. Kanika looked at her sister and went to run but her leg froze with pain, causing her to scream. She fell to her knees once again and used her hands to keep her from falling in the dirt. the pain was ;excruciating Kanika thought she would pass out, but she forced herself to stay awake. "I have to get Mei." She whispered to herself, forcing her body to crawl forward. Though it was painful, Kanika kept going._

_ The man with the whip laughed as he watched her crawl, thinking her pathetic and weak for trying. "Stupid girl." He spat and kicked the girl in her side so hard it sent her across the ground and into the small stone fountain. This time Kanika coughed blood. Mei screamed for someone to help, anyone to put an end to this nightmare._

_ That's when Kohan arrived._

_ The man with the whip walked over to Kanika and raised his whip. He brought it down expecting it to tear flesh, but instead it wrapped around an unknown hand. He stared at the hand moentarily before he realized it wasn't Kanika's hand. He suddenly fell back from surprise and landed roughly on the ground. A young man wearing a black cloak and tight fit clothing stood before him in front of Kanika, who watched the man in amazement. "What kind of a man are you to attack two young women like this in public?" He asked, yanking the whip away and throwing it off to the side. He pulled a sword slowly from his waist and pushed it lightly against the man's throat, causing a small trail of blood to appear._

_ "Please, spare me!" The trader cried, crawling back frantically away from the unknown man. Fear crept up the man's spine. He didin't want to die; when push came to shove he could only bluff for so long. At first the man stood there looking down at the slave trader. Thougths ran through his head, thoughts like how pathetic this man was or how disgusted he was about how the world was today. None of these people were doing anything to save these girls because they wanted to save theirs own necks. The slave trader before him was such a pitiful sight that he almost considered sparing the man so he could live in shame. But the man stepped forward, "If you think I am just going to let a man like you live," He raised the sword above his head, "Then you are more pathetic than I thought." The man brought the sword down and seconds later the head of the trader was rolling on the ground, a trail of blood following it. People around them screamed in horror and ran away, but Kanika could only stare. _

_ He was brought down so easily, it was like he never stood a chance from the beginning. She wasn't frightened; she was amazed._

_ The man stared at the rolling head momentarily in disgust before looking over at the men holding Mei and glared, pointing his blood stained sword in their direction, "Release the girl and leave. Never come to this village again."_

_ A moment of silence passed when the men literally dropped Mei and ran to the cart, riding away hurriedly only leaving a dust cloud in their wake._

_ "Ow..." Mei groaned as she rubbed her bottom._

_ The man wiped his sword on his pants and returned it to its sheath, walking slowly over to Mei. As he approached, Mei stared at him in wonder. Who was this man? Why did he save them? He wasn't going to hurt her, she could tell. If he had wanted to hurt them, he would have so long ago. She looked at him from his feet to the tip of his head. He looked very strong and muscular; even his cloak showed off the shape of his broad shoulders. He had shoulder length brown hair and blue eyes that were shining brightly beneath the hood of his cloak. His face was flawless with a firm jaw and high cheek bones._

_ The only thing that seemed to ruin his face was the ugly scar on his right cheek._

_ He came down on one knee and held his hand out to her, "Are you hurt at all? Do you feel any pain?" Mei shook her head and took his hand. He helped her rise to her feet and she went to thank him when she glanced at his shoulder and saw his sister lying still on his sister lying in a watery pool of her own blood. "Kanika!" She screamed as she ran over to her sister, ignoring the man's curious stare._

_ Mei kneeled down and pulled her sister's head into her lap, trying to offer her some type of warmth from the freezing cold water. "Kanika, can you move at all?" Kanika peeled her eyes open, looking up at her sister before shaking her head, "My legs feel numb Mei, I won't make it back to the temple." Mei shook her head furiously. There had to be a way to get back to the temple without forcing her to walk. "Then I'll carry you back! Just wait a second okay?" Mei moved to lift her sister, even though she wasn't as strong as Kanika, she could still try._

_ But right as she went to lift her sister, Mei felt a hand on her shoulder. To her right was the same man who had just rescued them. "Allow me." He offered, moving to her side. He lifted her injured leg slowly and saw the enormous gash on the back of her leg, still oozing blood. He ripped the edge of his sleeve and began wrapping the cloth around her leg. "It will stop the bleeding for now." He informed Mei as he tied the tips in a knot. She watched in fascination as the man worked. He had some experience with medicine, she could tell by the way he wrapped Kanika's leg; it was tight and clean, unlike someone unexperienced who would leave it loose and sloppy. When he finished, he carefully moved his arms underneath Kanika and slowly lifted her up, cradling her gently against his chest. "Where is your home?" He looked down at Mei, who instantly came to a stand. "Its this way!" She pointed in the direction of a big temple which could be seen at the top of a hill near the outskirts of town. He nodded and began walking that direction, Mei close to his side._

_ After a few minutes of silence, Mei felt a little awkward standing next to a man she didn't know anything about. Yes, he had saved them, but at the sametime he killed someone to save them. He could easily kill the girls if he had wanted to. But he didn't, Mei told herself as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. His eyes were locked on the path ahead of him, not bothering to look anywhere else. Mei could see Kanika sleeping peacefully in his arms; the pain must have faded as they walked._

_ "What is your name?" Mei asked the man, who looked at her with surprise. He was acting as if that were the last thing he expected to hear. But then again from the look she was giving him, she was probably trying to ease the tension in the air. A few moments later, he replied, "My name is Kohan."_

_ Mei smiled softly, "Nice to meet you Kohan, my name is Mei. The one you are carrying is my sister Kanika." Kohan simply nodded._

_ "Will my sister be alright?" Mei asked suddenly, staring at her sister's sleeping face. Kohan nodded, "She lost quite a bit of blood, but once her wound closes with some stitches, she will need lots of bed rest." Mei breathed a laugh of relief and continued walking._

...

"Mei, are you listening?"

Mei blinked a few times and realized Kanika had been talking to her. "I'm sorry Kanika, what were you saying?"

Kanika sighed in annoyance and repeated, "Hanzo said we are going to meet some of the ninja chosen specifically to guard us. We will have to choose one of them to be our personal guard on our way to Iga." Mei nodded and linked arms with her sister as they walked down the hall.

What would happen to Kohan when Mei left? What will he think?

**Hey guys! Sorry this chapter took me so long! I hope you guys enjoyed it! Just so you are aware, Kohan is a character I made up, I thought a little love competition was in order for Mei LOL Can you guess which one of the ninjas she will fall for? **

**Just to let you guys know, I will be going on vacation to Montana for 3 weeks and I don't know if I will be able to write much while I'm there. I will try to do my best!**

**I know I said I would introduce the ninjas in this chapter, but I got so carried away with this one, so please wait until the next chapter! Thanks again for reading! Please Review!**


	4. Interesting Introductions

Kanika and Mei followed Hanzo across the house to the back of the temple grounds where the gathering hall was located.

By Mei's request, Hanzo agreed to keep the fact that Mei was really a girl a secret. She was now dressed in men's clothing and her hair was pulled back in a short messy ponytail. A cloth was wrapped tightly around her chest to flatten her breasts considerably. It was very uncomfortable, but it wasn't the first time Mei wore one. However, Kanika remained in her female clothes. Mei had helped her braid the sakura flower into her hair so she could keep it with her at all times.

Despite the fact that they were suppose to act like brother and sister, Kanika clutched Mei's hand tightly like she would since they were sisters. "Just remember not to talk too much so you don't raise suspicion about yourself." Kanika reminded Mei for the third time. Mei nodded stiffly, "Please calm down Kanika; I promise I will be fine." Though she had repeatedly reassured Kanika, her sister still had doubts. Who were these men that were assigned to protect them? What would they be like? Were they powerful like Kanika imagined they would be? Or were they weak and acted like cowards? Kanika knew she would have to learn to trust them; however the thought of placing her sister's life and her own in the hands of strangers did not sit too well with her.

Mei fiddled with a strand of hair that repeatedly fell in her face ever since she had fixied it earlier. It didn't bother her that much, but at the same time her paranoia only got worse by the second so she couldn't help but notice. Mei didn't like the whole situation they were in, not one bit, and the fact that they would be leaving home for quite some time didn't help either. As the two walked behind Hanzo, Mei looked out into the main gardens where most of the priests and sighed. She didn't want to leave here, this place that was so dear to her, but at the same time she knew if she stayed she would only bring choas and ruin. Her presense there wasn't helping to keep this place safe.

She was going to look away when she spotted Kohan in the gardens, talking to one of the other priests. They seemed very deep in conversation so Mei figured Kohan wouldn't look over here, allowing her to gaze upon him a few moments longer.

After Kohan had saved them two years ago, their Grandfather had decided to welcome him into the temple when it was revealed he had no home. The only condition was not to use his sword again unless it was an emergency. Kohan agreed to the condition and become the guardian of the temple.

For the first few months, she had tried to best to make him feel welcome in this strange place, but often he remained silent and watched her as she continued to carry on the one sided conversation. It took a whole month before he finally began to respond to her.

Besides her sister, Kohan had become her best friend and she constantly found herself wanting to be around him more.

Mei sighed as she walked and Kohan's head snapped in her direction as if on cue, staring at her. Mei felt herself stopped where she was and stare back. Even though it only lasted seconds, it felt as it an eternity passed. The sun had risen to show Kohan's features beautifully his deep brown hair seemed to lighten in the sun's rays. His emerald eyes were gems reflecting differents sides of him and only she could see them. The dark brown robes he wore unconciously clung to his masculine figure, showing and outline of what the man looked like. The corner of his lips came up in the form of a smirk, causing Mei to blush and look away.

Kanika cleared her throat, catching the red faced girls attention, and said, "You can go talk to him later but wait till after we meet these people okay?" Mei nodded and her blush only worsened. Her sister had been watching her that whole time; who knows what it might have looked like. She walked down the hall after Hanzo with a fast pace, trying to ignore her sister's stare.

Kanika watched as Mei hurriedly walked in the same direction as Hanzo towards the gathering hall and sighed. Her sister had no idea how deep she was attached to Kohan and that itself would hurt her deeply when they had to leave for Iga. Kanika only hoped Mei would be able to realize this before it was too late.

She turned her head to look at Kohan and found him already looking at her in return. She stared long and hard at the man, trying to find something. She didin't know what it was, but she always felt an unpleasant chill go up her spine whenever she saw him. Yes, he saved her life, and yes he saved Mei as well. However, ever since he made his home here at the temple, Kanika felt as if Kohan had another reaspn for agreeing to stay here even though he had no home. Like he was waiting for something. Kanika knew that Kohan had killed many before and she knew it could be like a drug to some men.

As Kohan stared at Kanika he raised his hand and simply waved at the girl. Hesitantly, she waved back.

'I don't trust him' half of her mind whispered. It was true; even though he had saved them Kanika always thought it strange for a man to save two girls and asked for nothing in return. 'He's just a kind man at heart' the other part of her mind whispered. Kanika always liked to believe that there were good people at heart somewhere in the world; however she never imagined they would come with a sword in hand and a mind to kill.

Kanika turned her gaze back to the hall ahead of her and made her way to the gathering hall. Now was not the time to be distracted. She was already nervous enough and worrying about Mei's relationship with Kohan wasn't going to help her feel better. 'I need to get a hold on my feelings now' she thought sternly to herself. Kanika had already shed tears today and she knew shedding more tears from a mental break down wouldn't help. "Just take a breath and move forward." She whispered to herself as she walked towards the unknown.

...

Both girls stood in the gathering hall, the door closed behind them. "No turning back now." Kanika teased Mei, who only gulped. She was so nervous she felt her neck build up a tiny layer of sweat. What would these new comers be like? Would they be nice or rude? Old or young? Random questions never ceased to float in Mei's mind as they began walking towards the statue at the end of the hall.

Hanzo stopped when he realized no one besides them were in the building. "Where did they run off to now?" He said to himself, irritation in his voice. He had specifically instructed them to stay in the temple's gathering hall and not to leave until he arrived. Where had they gone?

"Master Hanzo," Mei said aloud, catching his attention to point to the right, "Maybe they went to the gardens." She suggested. A door was left open giving a small view of sakura trees that were shedding a few of their petals, allowing a sweet smelling breeze to enter the temple. Hanzo nodded and strode over to the door, exiting the hall. The girls simply stared after him, unsure whether to follow or wait for his return. "Wonder why they left the gathering hall?" Kanika mused, looking at her sister. Mei sighed, "And after I mustered all that courage to meet them." Kanika giggled before turning to walk away, pulling her sister with her. No point in waiting to meet someone when she could just get it over with.

The two made their way out to the gardens, the wind picking up slightly once they stepped outside. The sun blinded Mei momentarily, making her put her hand up to block the harsh light from hurting her eyes. Once adjusted, she looked across the garden to see two figures standing below a large sakura tree. Two men stood there, leaning on either sides of the tree in conversation when they stopped and looked directly at them.

The first of the two leaned with his back to the tree, swinging a sickle of some sort with the hilt attached to a very long chain. His hair was a shade of the deepest blue they had ever seen, reaching a few inches past his ears. The dark color of his hair made his skin seem pale with scars adorning his shoulders. He was clad in blue fabric that matched the color of his hair with edges of dark lavender, a bright yellow sash around his waist. Mei found herself staring at the man in childish wonder, fascinated by him. 'He's so handsome' Mei thought, trying her hardest not to blush.

The second man who leaned on the otherside of the tree was just as eye catching. His hair was a maroon red that seemed as wild as a flame, reaching a little past his shoulders. The man loosely wore a red kimono that had different shades, reminding Kanika of a sunset, and a orange sash around his waist. However he was only wearing half of the kimono, so his shlouder was exposed to reveal a blood red tattoo that covered his whole shoulder. Other than that, all he wore underneath was black. Next to him was a large ninja star that estimated three feet in width and length, one of its tips burried in the ground. Kanika unconciously gulped when her eyes landed on the weapon, but Mei's fascination only grew. 'What an amazing weapon!' she thought excitedly to herself. She was like a child looking at a new toy.

These men were supposed to be ninja? When Mei tried to imagine them, all she saw were scary looking men with scars and practically no hair; however these men were the exact opposite.

The red head noticed Mei was staring at him and winked, causing her to look away with a light blush. He smirked and thought 'Yup, that's totally a girl'.

The blue haired man pulled lightly on his chain and caught it as it swung up towards his face. He then wrapped the chain around his waist where it wouldn't be in the way and placed the sickle itself beaneath the sash at his back. He looked to his companion before walking to Hanzo, the other close behind.

Hanzo stepped down onto the stone ground before turning around to help Kanika down. Mei helped herself down instead of waiting for Hanzo, knowing that if he had helped her she wouldn't be playing the part of a boy. Kanika saw this and hoped Hanzo hadn't forgotten that Mei was now Shiro.

"My lady, this man is Goemon Ishikawa." Hanzo introduced, gesturing to the red haired ninja who stepped forward. "He is a ninja from Iga like myself." He explained as he moved to the side, allowing Goemon to bow. Kanika nodded and waited for the man to stand straight before greeting, "Its a pleasure to meet you Goemon."

"Believe me the pleasure is all mine." He replied, smirking at the girl.

Kanika's face erupted into a blush, her heart racing. 'Calm down and keep it cool' she thought to herself. "My name is Kanika Takashima and this," She turned to gesture to Mei, "Is my brother Shiro."

Mei stepped forward, her face expressionless as she bowed to Goemon, and said, "Its an honor to meet you."

Goemon cocked an eyebrow at the creature before him. He had to admit, her act was impressive; if he hadn't known that Shiro was really a girl, he would have believed this fascade. 'This will be fun' he thought smugly to himself.

When Mei straightened herself from bowing, she found Goemon going to a kneel at her feet and took her hand in his, pressing his lips to the back.

Both girls instantly turned red at the act, Mei more than Kanika since it was her hand being kissed. It wasn't everyday a drop dead gorgeous male kissed her hand. It was even more embarassing since she was suppose to be Shiro.

Goemon looked up from her hand, his eyes the color of embers, "It's a pleasure to meet you...Shiro."

Frantic, Mei pulled her hand back and hid it behind her, nodding stiffly.

Goemon made a noise of amusement and came to a stand, only to be yelled at Hanzo. "Goemon! Do not treat the prince in such a manner!"

Goemon walked away, pausing next to Hanzo and whispered, "It's no use hiding what I already know." Hanzo made a small noise of surprise and watched Goemon walk away back towards the sakura tree.

That was Goemon Ishikawa for you, finding out important information that was never spoken to just anyone; Hanzo only wished Goemon wouldn't going running his mouth.

The blue haired man was the next to step forward, bowing to Kanika and then grabbing her face right after making Mei jump, not even bothering to wait for his introduction. The man moved fast for someone his size. His fingers were gripping her chin tightly, forcing her head to turn from side to side slowly as he inspected her. Kanika felt her face heat up with every second he gazed at her. "You look like a regular girl; nothing particularly unique about your physical form."

She was flabbergasted. The nerve of this man, telling her something that rude straight to her face! She reached up and smacked his hand away from her face, taking a step back from him.

Despite the mask he wore over the lower half of his face, Kanika could tell he was smiling. 'Jerk' Kanika thought to herself. Even if he wasn't smiling, Kanika would have seen the amusement in his emerald eyes.

Hanzo cleared his throat, catching Saizo's attention. He took a step back as Hanzo introduced him. "My lady, this is Saizo Kirigakure. He is a talented ninja from Koga." Said Hanzo. Kanika nodded and bowed, biting back the rude comments that threatened to escape. "Pleasure to meet you Saizo," Said Kanika, biting her tongue, "My name is Kanika Takashima." Saizo nodded in acknowledgement before looking at Mei. She stepped forward and bowed, "My name is Shiro Takashima, Kanika's younger brother."

"Interesting hair you have." Saizo commented, tilting his head to the side. Mei reached a hand up and touched her short ponytail self-conciously. Her natural hair color was black, but ever since she was born the tips of her hair were always a silvery white; unlike Kanika who just had regular black hair. "It's always been like that." She explained shortly, remembering Kanika's instructions not to speak too much.

Hanzo looked around briefly before asking Saizo, "Where are the other two? They were supposed to be here with you."

Before Saizo could answer, a harsh gust of wind blew around them. The flower Kanika had braided into her hair lifted up and moved around with the wind, slowly moving away. She reached out to grab it when another arm, much longer than her own, outstretched far enough to grab the flower gently between two fingers. The wind around them suddenly died as the hand came down, the flower shimmering lightly. 'That's not my arm' Kanika thought as she slowly turned around and came face to face with the rescuer of her flower.

A man stood before her, all dressed in black with a mask covering half of his face. He had striking white hair that was swayed back out of his face in all directions. His eye's were ruby red. Around his neck was the only source of color in his outfit, a red scarf that matched the color of his eyes, the design of a small flower sewn into the fabric.

He reached forward and gently placed the flower behind her ear so it wouldn't fall. She blushed, "T-Thank you."

The man took a stepped back and kneeled before her, bowing his head. "This man is Kotaro Fuma," Hanzo introduced, "He is a ninja from the Fuma clan. He is one of the best markmen in history." Strapped to his back was an extravegant gun, proving Hanzo's explanation. "N-Nice to meet you," Kanika studdered, internally cursing herself as she blushed, "My name is-"

"Kanika." He finished, looking up to meet her gaze. She slowly nodded, unable to pull her eyes from his. Kotaro stood and looked at Mei, bowing to her, "Shiro." He confirmed, earning a nodd from her. 'At least I don't have to introduce myself again' thought Mei.

Saizo moved next to Kotaro and asked, "Where is the monkey?"

"I'm right here!" Someone yelled from above.

Before Mei could look behind her, she saw a shadow pass over Kanika's head. The sound of feet hitting the ground could be heard and both girls looked to see something land behind Saizo. Kanika tilted her head to the side as she watched that something stand up on two legs, a few inches taller than Saizo. It was a person; a man to be exact.

The man whirled around to face them, a big smile on his face. "I found Kotaro, just like you asked!" He said happily, his hands behind his head. Hanzo frowned and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I also told you not to be late." The man chuckled sheeishly and replied, "Well I tried my best; its hard to find someone who moves constantly like the wind."

Hanzo sighed and gestured to the man, "My lady, this is Sasuke Sarutobi; a Koga ninja like Master Saizo." Sasuke's grin widened at his introduction.

Sasuke's hair was a golden orange that shined brightly in the sun; short and scruffy on the top with a long trail of hair at the back of his head that moved from side to side with the breeze. His attire was made of forest green clothing, his sleeves ripped off at the shoulders to reveal slender arms that appeared rock solid with muscle, and forearms covered with black braces. The most noticable item on his outfit was the bright orange scarf wrapped loosely around his neck. When Kanika looked up at his face his eyes were the same forest green as his outfit if not deeper. She also noticed three scars on his left cheek that resembled something close to claw marks.

Sasuke caught Kanika staring at him and smiled micheviously. In one second he was standing before her and the next he was gone from sight. "Huh?" She wondered when suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around her shoulders from behind. Kanika made a sound of surpise and Sasuke's sudden movement scared Mei so bad she lost her balance and fell on her bottom. Kanika wanted to help her sister up, but Sasuke was leaning all of his weight onto the girl making it hard to keep herself standing up. 'Man he sure is heavy' Kanika thought as she tried to unwrap the man's arms from around her shoulders.

Hanzo sputtered angrily, his face turning red, "Sasuke, remove yourself from Lady Kanika at once!" Kanika felt Sasuke's grip around her shoulders tighten as he replied, "Lighten up Hanzo, it's not like I'm seducing her in public." Kanika felt her face flush as she and Mei looked at each other before looking at Hanzo's angered expression go from bad to worse. "That's not the point!" He yelled and went to continue when he stopped himself.

'Calm down' Hanzo thought to himself before repeating, "That's not the point. She is your princess," He walked over to Mei and took her hand to pull her up, "And you will treat her as such. The same goes for her brother the prince." Hanzo dusted off Mei's back before turning to Sasuke.

"Can't blame me for wanting to hug an adorable girl like Kanika." Sasuke coutnered childishly.

Mei shook her head in disbelief. This man was so childish it was hard to believe he could be a ninja.

The two men began to bicker as the others walked away to sit on the veranda of the house. Kanika was trying very hard to focus on what the two were saying, but all she could focus on presently was the fact that a mature male figure was holding her...rather tightly. A very tall, very muscular, very handsome grown man; one she had known for only five minutes. His chin rested on her shoulder, his breath on the side of her face. It was very distracting. Her face turned red and she tried to turn her face away but it only made her situation worse. Though his breath was no longer on her face, she could now feel it on her neck. The feeling sent pleasant shivers down her back and she felt a strange throb in her chest.

Sasuke felt Kanika shudder in his arms and he looked down to see a very red faced girl nearly gasping for breath. "Princess, are you alright?" He asked, watching her look down at the ground instead of him. Suddenly, she pushed with all her might out of his arms, stumbling towards Mei. "I-I'm fine...I just fell a little unwell." She replied. Though Mei knew it was a lie, her expression made it believable enough. Looking at her sister's blushing face, Mei found herself smiling. She knew her sister was just nervous since it was her first time a man held her besides their grandfather.

Goemon, who had joined the group instead of standing at the sakura tree, sighed, "Clearly Sasuke, you don't know women as well as you think you do." Mei glanced at Goemon cautiously. He was watching Kanika like she had been. This man was sharper than he let off. Sasuke glared at Goemon and yelled, "Whaddya mean by that Goemon?" Not taking his eyes off of Sasuke, Goemon crossed his arms at his chest and replied, "I said it exactly as I mean it." Anger built up in Sasuke and he was going to say something when Hanzo cleared his throat.

That was Hanzo's way of saying "not now" or "argue later". Sasuke groaned and turned away from Goemon, not wanting to look at anyone who thought him a child. It wasn't fair to him, he wasn't as young as they thought he was, and he didn't want to be treated as such.

As he looked away, his eyes landed on Mei and he felt his brow raise in surprise.

"Hey, aren't you the one who came in earlier today?" He asked.

Kanika froze, looking at Mei who held a surprised expression like her own. She had come onto the temple grounds only once and that was when she and Kanika had been escorted by Hanzo earlier today. He must have seen them enter the grounds. But neither girl remembered seeing him amoungst the others priests when they had returned. The only problem was when they had come back, Mei was wearing female clothing, not men's clothing. That could only mean one thing:

He had seen Mei as herself and not as Shiro.

'Keep calm and play the part' Mei thought to herself as she cleared her throat before replying, "Yes...I arrived her with my sister. My name is Shiro; yours is Sasuke if I am correct." He nodded and asked, "Are you Kanika's younger sibling?"

Mei nodded, "I am her younger brother."

Putting his hand on his hips, Sasuke tilted his head to the side. "Funny," He started, "I could have sworn you were-"

Without another thought, Kanika whirled around in Sasuke's direction, and threw herself at him. Her fingers tangled in in the front of his clothes as she pulled him against her and brought his lips down upon hers.

Mei felt a blush creep onto her cheeks at the sight before her.

Kanika was kissing a man for the very first time.

**Hey guys! Sorry I'm late on updating! Been having home troubles and I have been getting ready to go to school! Its that time of the year again! **

**Well I introduced the main candidates for romance! Who do you think the girls will fall for? Did you like the way I ended this chapter? Kinda surprised you didn't I? LOL **

**I apologize greatly if the next update takes a little bit because I recently watched the new anime Brothers Conflict and I kind of had an idea for a new story. But I have to write out the rough draft before actually typing it out LOL **

**Well I hoped you liked this chapter! I'm already starting on the next one! Please REVIEW and tell me what you thought of this chapter! **

**I'm making a selfish request: REVIEW AND TELL ME YOUR FAVORITE PART! It can be from this chapter or any of the other chapters I have posted so far! I need reviews for motivation to carry one writing! Same goes for my other stories! Thanks again and please review! **

**-CoolCat0720**


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